Punkt. is a reasonably small, dynamic and independent business, and we prefer to preserve close connections with our clients and with people and organisations within the style world. As part of this, we routinely run 'Punkt.Challenges'. These consist of design obstacles that form part of postgraduate design courses, and digital detox challenges where self-confessed mobile phone addicts are welcomed to revisit their relationship with technology.
10 years back, smart devices were still really uncommon. Now, a life lived outside the framework of the smart device is uncommon. 10 years ago, many people had cellphones, however they would generally just attract our attention if another person had actually chosen to call us or send us a text. Now that a lot of people's lives are so much more automated: the new normal is to scoot around within a continuous onslaught of status updates, push alerts and an entire lot more.
Our Digital Detox Challenges have actually been running considering that 2016. The negative aspects of mobile phones weren't widely talked about at that point, but there has actually because been a rise of interest in the subject. Participant reports are a crucial element of the Detox Challenges; by running the Challenges and releasing these reports we aim to keep the discussion of people's relationship with innovation prominent and on-going - both in regards to tech dependency and the importance of premium design in the genuine (i.e. non-virtual) world.
The huge difference this time round was that the term 'smart device addiction' had clearly entered typical parlance - in 2016 it still sounded a bit over the top, but in 2018 people were beginning to sound genuinely fretted. You can read the reports below, but here are some excerpts from a few of the lots of applications we received:
" The constant scrolling."
" I attempted it with an old timeless phone, it resembled going back to an ex - with all the old pros and cons. Who does that?"
" We utilize our phones a lot - why should not they be beautiful in addition to practical?"
" I'm doing my own version now, however I needed to go for a broke ass burner phone that's 10 years old ...".
" As a UI designer for digital products I've typically questioned a few of the success criteria used in my market, particularly 'engagement' as a metric for success. Up until that changes, unfortunately it's really tough to combat versus 100s of designers who are aiming to hook you in to their items. [] There is a certain irony about this as I design for these products however desire to get away from them. However I think it's an opportunity for me as a designer to value how valuable our attention is, and try to take that lesson back into my industry, hopefully to affect a change in method to technology.".
" I have actually begun eliminating all my social networks profiles and have actually right away seen the favorable result it's had on me. I am so much calmer now, and I want to keep it that way, by likewise eliminating my mobile phone for great.".
Life is too brief to keep our heads down.
Innovation has actually dramatically changed over the last century, from being a handy tool in our lives to keeping us as connected in as much as it can and for the longest time period. This Challenge changes that in its whole, pushing us into recognizing what is going on. I've always enjoyed utilizing the newest things, but given that Punkt. has actually been around, I wished to change that, and with the Digital Detox Challenge, that's exactly what happened. When you go from a constantly ringing smart device to a phone like this, you understand just how much you can sacrifice all these applications that keep you hooked all day long: you don't require them.
In a way, you do end up being type of apart socially from your pals-- let's state if they "Snapchat" you or whatnot-- but you begin to realize that it's for the better, and the Punkt. MP01 accomplishes just that. It teaches you simpleness and teaches you that you do not need whatever on your phone. Just the fundamentals.
If you feel like you are hooked on your phone, like many people I have satisfied, it might be a great time to offer this phone a shot. Much of my own family members experience this sensation and I seem like passing this challenge on to others so they can master it. This Challenge has actually become so important in 2018 because-- as I stated-- Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and so on are here to keep us hooked in for the longest time. Do not think me? Download QualityTime for your Android and you will realize that you do not even take notice of what's going on around you. If you feel an itch, it might be a great time to obtain that inspected out, and a great way to set about it is with the Punkt. MP01.
The more time we spend taking a look at screens, the less important daylight becomes-- and sometimes, yes, more of an obstacle. Whether you're inspecting your messages while strolling to work, enjoying your smartphone with your good friends (who are each taking pleasure in theirs), or enjoying a film, daytime is a trouble.
We started heading by doing this since we wanted to. Nowadays-- to a large degree-- we just do it because we do it. And since others want us to do it.
Is this really how you want to spend your time on Earth?
* * *.
In 2016, Google staff member Tristan Harris left his job to discovered a new non-profit organisation called Time Well Spent, which looked for to broaden the dispute on what technology is doing to us and resulted in the development of the Center for Humane Technology. Because then, the topic has actually blown up into the mainstream and it has ended up being clear that it is refraining from doing excellent things to our general sense of well-being.
The home page of the Center's website features a striking montage image. A generic graphic of a smartphone is integrated with a photograph of a lady. She is not presented as being on the screen. She remains in reality looking out from the phone, leaning with her arms folded on the bottom edge of the screen as though it were a windowsill. She appears delighted, delighting in the view. And she is bathed in sunshine.
Maybe it makes sense to utilize these brighter evenings for something other than taking a look at pixels? When bedtime techniques, matching sundown with a digital sundown: everything turned off, leaving simply a land-line with a number known only to household and friends, and a devoted alarm clock.
Signing up with those who have dumped their smart devices completely, integrating a standard phone with a laptop computer or tablet (much much better for typing on). Nowadays these ideas may sound practically radical, however as far as biology is worried, they're exactly what your brain desires. Thus the medical side-effects of tech over-use.
Because of the evident reduction in traffic accidents, Daylight Saving Time is said to increase life span of a nation's citizens. Ditto banning phone usage while driving, naturally (with a much clearer causal link). Phones here threaten in other ways, too: scrollers strolling into traffic, selfie trophy-hunters taking one threat a lot of, etc. Over-use of tech shrinks our lives in another method as well-- incrementally and undoubtedly. It gives us a narrower existence in which we are less focussed, less rested and hence less awake. Over-use eats our lives, and it's ending up being the norm.
Time for a rethink?
Do you discover that wherever you go, you always end up in the same place: in front of your smartphone? Utilizing it, or letting it use you, to stay 'linked'? Gotten in touch with exactly what individuals depend on back house. Linked with the current report. Gotten in touch with work. Connected with games, YouTube videos, Wikipedia. Gotten in touch with images from the last vacation you took, and the one prior to that. What kind of 'connection' is that, truly? This scenario is something that's approached on us, and possibly it's time to begin making some decisions ...
A holiday is a chance to change off, to experience brand-new things. If we don't also change off our devices, if we continue to outsource our consciousness to image sensors and memory cards, if we're still attached to exactly what we were doing before we left and exactly what we'll be doing when we get back, it's as if we're paying a kind of holiday tax. Part of the experience is subtracted-- and not to help the regional economy, but to help line the pockets of investors of social media companies.
Picture a traditional travelogue like Jack Kerouac's On the Road, minus this tax. There wouldn't be much left. And even if we're looking for something a bit less intense for our fortnight away, the concept still uses. Whether it's a case of pings on the beach, or livestreaming from the Louvre, something's acquired but something's lost. And on the subject of getting lost, yes, without a smart device it might happen. And possibly you'll wind up somewhere that ends up being the highlight of your trip. Perhaps you'll find some intriguing dining establishment that isn't on tripadvisor.com. You might wind up talking with some residents. Nothing ventured, absolutely nothing gained. This connect the growing slow travelmovement, and the recovering of overland travel as a mainstream and sensible alternative to flying, demonstrated by the underground success of The Man in Seat Sixty-One. It's all about being there.
If we do decide to have a vacation that does not revolve around processing big data, there are a couple of alternatives. We can go to the other extreme, and leave house without any sort of phone or tablet. (That never ever used to be a severe, but we reside in severe times.) And we have options like altering our device's settings to 'minimum', leaving it in the hotel safe throughout the day, etc
. Or we can take a different phone. One that just does calls and texts. And then immerse ourselves in a various culture, have some adventures, or merely take pleasure in a bit of peace and quiet.
The physical act of swapping phones goes deep. It's a bit like flying the nest. And it's beginning to acquire in appeal: whether an inexpensive, old-tech design or something more elegant and up-to-date, deciding to sometimes utilize a basic phone is something that everybody can relate to nowadays. They might not do it themselves, but they definitely know why some individuals do.
There are useful advantages, too. Only needing to charge your phone periodically is popular with everyone but if you're going somewhere without mains electrical power, your greedy smartphone will be no usage at all. With a simple phone you don't require to keep checking that your digital factotum hasn't cunningly discovered some method of running up monster-sized information roaming charges-- it can still happen. It's the 'actually being there' that truly counts. Sure, taking a trip without a smartphone will mean a couple of mix-ups, a lowered ability to plan, to understand ahead of time exactly what's going to happen. But travelling sans algorithms is where the action is. And the screens on simple phones are typically much tougher than the large areas of glass discovered on their more complex cousins. Replacing a damaged smartphone screen is a trouble at the very best of times; increase that by ten if you're abroad.
However it's the 'actually being there' that really counts. Sure, travelling without a smart device will imply a couple of mix-ups, a decreased capability to strategy, to know ahead of time exactly what's going to happen. Travelling sans algorithms is where the action is.
SMS 03 - Punkt. MP02 from Punkt. on Vimeo.